News Release
18 July 2005
Payroll Officers speak out on an under-appreciated job
Simpler holidays, timesheets completed on time and in full, less paper and more appreciation. Those are some ingredients
in the recipe for payroll officer satisfaction, according to a recent survey by payroll software supplier Comacc.
Over 700 payroll officers throughout New Zealand participated in the survey, which asked the question, “If you could
change/improve any part of your job relating to payroll what would it be and how would you improve it?”
The survey uncovered feelings of neglect among payroll personnel, with wish lists for better communication, fewer
interruptions and more appreciation. Comacc managing director Steve Nathan says “Most businesses see payroll management
as a necessary evil and provided the pay is processed each week, it is not looked at closely.”
A strong wish among payroll people was for simplification of holidays and employment laws. The evidence suggests that,
despite reassurance from the government, the 'simplified' holidays act costs businesses more in terms of time and money.
Some wishes were easier to meet, such as timesheets completed legibly and on time, less paper, and less manual work such
as data entry. Nathan says Comacc's automated payroll software takes care of all these common complaints, as well as
offering businesses significant savings.
But even the most advanced software won't fulfil the wish of the survey's most eloquent answer to the question, “If you
could change/improve any part of your job relating to payroll what would it be and how would you improve it?”
The answer? “Get someone else to do it.”
ENDS